From Junk to Jar Gift

It started innocently enough. I've been keeping glass jars out of my recycling for possible reuse. And with the holiday season approaching, I just knew I could use a couple for gifts. Hot cocoa kit? Cookie baking kit? Sewing kit? After wracking my brain, I decided I wanted to make some snowglobes.

This turned into a long lesson on how to (and how *not to*) make a DIY snowglobe.

First step, head to the thrift shops and find cute little toys or figurines to create the scene. I left Goodwill with an awesome white glossy rearing unicorn. Dubbed "Ulrich", the unicorn started at $5, but since it was discount day for blue tags, he was marked down to just $3. This adventure is starting out strong. 

This is the eventual majestic snowglobe:

Ulrich comes home with me, and the next step is choosing the right jar to put him in. I try the largest spaghetti sauce jar... then the largest pickle jar... and to my dismay, none of my many saved jars are big enough. I rack my brain... maybe a large Adams peanut butter jar. I would totally use more peanut butter, and could divvy it up into some of my smaller jars. So I measure Ulrich, and I'll need a minimum 3" jar opening, and 7" height. 

On to the grocery store with my measuring tape. I go from aisle to aisle, measuring the pickled artichoke hearts, and the bulk dill pickles, and finally getting on my knees in the grocery store to measure the Adams peanut butter. Nothing is larger than 6" tall! <sob>

Finally, I cave, head to Michael's, and purchase a giant, half-gallon Mason jar. Lesson 1: the knick-knacks for inside your snow globe need to be much smaller than you think!

Now that I've aquired my jar and unicorn, I can start assembling. Ulrich is adhered to the lid with some waterproof silicone sealant. Pro tips: 1) make sure your adhesive is waterproof, 2) apply in a well ventilated room (such as a bathroom with the fan on), and 3) make sure you know the curing time (this one takes 24 hours).

You can decorate the lid if you want to cover any branding or just to embellish for fun. Metallic or sparkly nail polish work great.

Once your scene is secure and cured, you can start adding liquid and "snow". To make your snow fall slower, you'll add some glycerin. Glycerin is a moisturizing, vegetable-based product that is used in soaps and lotions.

You'll only need a small amount, so save to use by itself as a moisturizer, or add to other DIY bath and body projects.

Next, figure out what you want your "snow" to be. Pay attention. I learned *all* the lessons. :-D

The first thing I tried was some rainbow mylar confetti that I had leftover from previous events. What glorious unicorn doesn't want to be surrounded by rainbow? Lesson 2: test your glitter for color-fastness. The mylar was not color-fast and quickly became a purple soupy mess.

I next tried some fine silver glitter. Lesson 3: Fine glitter combined with the water and glycerin will clump.

I finally landed on some course white and irrisdescent glitter. Next: to get the proportions of water, glycerin, and glitter right. One online source suggested 1 cup water to 1 tbsp glycerin and 1 tbsp glitter. This was substantially to slow-falling and too cloudy. I suggest you start with 1 cup: 1 tsp: 1 tsp. Close and shake your jar to test, then add more glitter if you want, and more glycerin if the snow is falling too fast. 

With a white unicorn and white glitter, we needed a pop of color. I painted on some rainbow stripes on the back side of the jar, and when dry, sealed with Mod Podge.

If you are concerned about the jar leaking, you can also glue the lid onto the jar, using a little of the same waterproof sealant from above on the threads.

The final result? Ulrich in a snowy magical wonderland.

Hopefully my lessons learned above will make your snowglobe journey much smoother! Looking for other ideas?

Safeway had these adorable candy jars available around Halloween. These could be created for any season by painting a seasonal character on and filling with your favorite candy. Or leave some of the jar unpainted and put in a small candle.

Alternatively, my brother received this yummy homemade granola as a gift. Minimal jar decorating needed, outside of a personalized label.

What are your favorite ways to reuse glass jars?